In this sequence of videos, staff developers from Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project coach individual writers to generate ideas for a nonfiction book, and to work through the process of writing that book. Writing well requires a knowledge of the topic, so students are guided to write about topics of personal expertise (i.e. basketball). However, if they have studied a topic deeply (i.e. The American Revolution) this coaching can help them write well about those topics, too.
In an introductory series of 9 video-lessons, students learn a host of engaging and thoughtful ways to jot responses to their fiction reading. Then, in a second series with 10 videos, students take all the writing and thinking about reading they did in the first, and fashion that writing into a well-structured literary essay. As they do this important work, students deepen their understanding of writing literary essays about texts, and all that this process entails.
The Up the Ladder Writing Virtual Teaching Resources subscription includes virtual teaching resources to pair with the print units (note that you MUST have the Up the Ladder Writing print units to activate your virtual subscription). These units are designed to move students repeatedly through the writing process while rapidly accelerating their progress. You’ll find that students come out of the units feeling accomplished and confident as writers. These powerful units equip intermediate grades writers with the skills they need to enter into and succeed with the grade-level writing units.
The professional development for online teaching and learning that you’ve been asking for
An unprecedented pandemic may change the definition of classroom, but it doesn't have to change your definition of good teaching. Jennifer Serravallo’s Connecting with Students Online gives you concise, doable suggestions based on her own experiences and those of the teachers, administrators, and coaches she has communicated with during the pandemic. Watch Jen's webinar about the book!
